Author: Liz McCormick

Liz is WVPB's Webmaster/Digital Coordinator and Eastern Panhandle Bureau Chief, based in Shepherdstown, WV on Shepherd University's campus. Liz is a native of Charleston, West Virginia. She received a M.A. in Strategic Communication from American University in 2022 and a B.A. in Communication and New Media from Shepherd in 2014. Prior to her role as webmaster, Liz was WVPB's Eastern Panhandle reporter from 2014-2022, the House of Delegates reporter on "The Legislature Today" from 2015-2017, and she covered K-12/higher education from 2020-2022. Liz has also worked as a technical assistant and associate producer on "The Legislature Today."

More Upset Over Energy in the House Chamber

A controversial bill that gives employers some immunity from lawsuits over work place accidents is off the agenda for the House Judiciary committee for now. Committee chairman, John Shott, announced today that stakeholders are meeting to find some agreement to the bill. House Bill 2011 deals with the issue of deliberate intent. It was the subject of a public hearing earlier this week.

Friday on the House Floor, another bill relating to energy was the center of attention, including an amendment that caused some concern from Democrats.

In the House Chamber, House Bill 2201 was up for its third reading but with pending amendments for the chamber to consider.

The bill requires the Public Service Commission to adopt certain net-metering and interconnection rules and standards. Net-metering is a practice already used in the state. Individuals who own their own personal source of electricity, things like solar panels or wind turbines, send the extra electricity they generate back to the grid for sale to other customers. Their electric company would in turn give the client a credit to use later, saving them on future electric costs.

The first amendment to the bill was proposed by Delegate Woody Ireland, chair of the House Energy Committee. He suggested two provisions be added, one to include some new safety provisions for lineman, and the other allowing non-profits to receive energy credits from companies who own and operate renewable energy equipment on their property.

Ireland’s amendments passed unanimously, but the same could not be said for an amendment proposed by Delegate Michael Folk of Berkeley County.

“Mr. Speaker,” said Folk, “this simply adds language that states the commission shall assure that any net-metering tariff does create a cross-subsidization between customers of one class.”

What Folk means is if a utility company must upgrade their system to comply with net-metering standards, the costs for those upgrades cannot be passed on to rate paying customers who do not participate in the net metering program.

“For instance, over 99% of our customers are not net-metering customers,” explained Folk, “Those people by very definition, and practice of what is done today, are subsidizing the net-metering customers.”

This brought some concern from Delegate Stephen Skinner, who questioned why an amendment like this, was never discussed in committee.

“We’re bringing the committee work to this chamber, and we’ve had no testimony about it, and we don’t know what the consequences are,” noted Skinner, “We can’t predict those consequences. One of the things that my good friend, the Chair of the Judiciary has said constantly over the last few years is we need to look out for unintended consequences. And we don’t even have the information right now to understand what this means. We’re adding a new term to code that hasn’t been defined. We’re letting government get further involved in the actions of the PSC. It doesn’t make sense for us to amend this at this time when we don’t know what it means.”

Other Democrats backed Skinner’s proposal, but in the end, the amendment won the vote. John Shott is the House Judiciary Chair.

“Although I generally agree with the policy of the committee doing all the legwork, this particular case, this amendment does not make an extreme change to the purpose of the bill,” said Folk, “It basically is an expression of our policy that as this, we assume net-metering will grow across the state, and it’s basically a policy of this body that growth not be on the backs of non-net-metering customers that the customer that benefits from the net-metering basically pays the fair price of the net-metering. We’re not telling the commission how to do that. We’re simply saying, you as the experts, you make sure that this doesn’t happen.”

Delegate Folk’s amendment passed 63 to 33. The bill itself, House Bill 2201, passed.

Repealing the Alternative & Renewable Energy Portfolio Act Passes in the House

Emotions were high in the House Chamber Thursday as House Bill 2001 was on its third reading and up for a vote.

Fireworks went off in the House Chamber as Delegates discussed whether or not to pass House Bill 2001. By the end, more than half of the Democrats chose to support the bill, but not all of them agreed quietly.

If passed, utility companies would no longer be required to make 25% of their energy come from renewable energy sources like solar or wind. This would instead put all the energy output back on coal, potentially creating more jobs and bring more money back in the state.

Delegate Joshua Nelson brought into perspective the jobs lost since the House Bill 103 was passed in 2009; the bill originally behind making the rule.

“Since 2012, six plants have shut down, partially due to anticipation from increased scrutiny, from bills like this, and from the EPA, and from the anti-coal, anti-coal miner climate that exists in Washington, DC.,” said Nelson, “From 2011 to 2014, we have lost 7,000 coal jobs in the state of West Virginia, and that is completely unacceptable, and almost solely due to market manipulation.”

Tensions arose when Delegate Nancy Guthrie stood to call out those in favor of the bill, saying it was a step backward for the state.

“What I can’t understand is why this body that wants to make a name for itself, that wants to move this state forward, isn’t embracing every possible energy source at our finger tips,” said Guthrie, “In the Eastern panhandle, we have geothermal that we could be tapping into; we have an abundance supply of water. People who are using solar, our municipalities included, are saving on their energy costs, and a lot of those municipalities were hard pressed to save the light bill. Customers are saving money, because they’ve incorporated solar into their portfolio and are selling back. So rates are coming down for those folks who are smart enough to get away from just one source. We are going to wear coal around our neck, like a yoke that will drag all of us down.”

Republican Delegates were outraged and deeply offended by Guthrie’s statements.

“We’re talking about this black rock right here,” said Delegate Gary Howell, “The gentlelady from Kanawha County said that this is a yoke hanging around the neck of West Virginia, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this is made out of carbon, and there’s something else made out of carbon and that’s diamond. I see this as the diamond necklace hanging around the neck of West Virginia.”

Delegate Randy Smith stood to fight back against anyone opposed to repealing the bill. He said that after the bill was passed six years ago, then Governor Joe Manchin took it to Washington to show it off.

“What did that say to the coal miners in the state of West Virginia,” asked Smith, “what did that tell us, me, my colleagues here, there’s a lot of us here, the retired coal miners, or laid off coal miners, or ones going into different fields? What did this bill say to us coal miners? Did it say we’re behind you, we got your back? No, that’s not what it said, it said, we’re on your side, Mr. President. And I can tell you one thing right now, I’m not on his side, and I’m glad that the lot of you have woke up and seen just what this is worth. It’s a slap in the face to us coal miners.”

Delegate John Shott was one of the last to speak. He spoke to both sides saying this bill would not hold the state down.

“A lot was mentioned earlier about our failure to diversify. Folks, if we pass this bill, there’s nobody going to put handcuffs on us and say you can’t diversify,” noted Shott, “We will diversify as the market allows, and we can protect our folks, especially our disabled, our elderly, those on fixed incomes, without burdening them with an unneeded expense that the restrictions, the mandates of this act now put on them.”

House Bill 2001 was passed 95 to 4.

GOP Leaders Share Hopes for State of the State

With the anticipation of Governor Tomblin’s State of the State address tonight, Senate President, Bill Cole and incoming House Speaker, Tim Armstead shared what they hope to hear in the Governor’s speech.

Every year the Governor’s State of the State address signifies the start of a new legislative session. It’s a time for him to introduce both his proposed budget and legislative priorities for the year. From education to jobs to infrastructure, a number of topics will be mentioned in the hopes of keeping West Virginia moving forward.

With the majority switch in both the House and the Senate, something the state hasn’t seen for some 80 years, the change in leadership may prove to be very interesting.

Incoming Senate President, Bill Cole and incoming House Speaker, Tim Armstead both agree that two of the topics they hope the Governor will speak about is the need for jobs and a better education system.

“The thing that I believe we continue to go back to is the need for jobs, bringing jobs to our state, and creating an environment that is conducive to bring businesses that bring those jobs,” said incoming Senate President, Bill Cole, “So I’d like to hear him talk about, you know, clearing the decks a little bit, working, you know, with us on the agenda we plan to bring, to bring those jobs.”

Incoming House Speaker, Tim Armstead, says to attract better jobs, the state needs a better education system.

“Even if we create the jobs, and we don’t have an educated workforce that can fill those jobs, then we’re still not solving the core issue that we need to solve,” noted Armstead, “so I really believe that those two work hand-in-hand, a strong vibrant economy, and a solid educational system in our state are the two keys to really moving our state forward and keeping our kids here in West Virginia.”

Armstead says he also thinks there’s too much control on the state level of West Virginia’s educational systems.

“I would like to see much more of the resources, the effort, the control of our education system be back at the classroom level, back at the school level, be back at the county level,” Armstead said, “And so, I don’t know that there is a tense relationship, I wouldn’t say between our Legislature and our Board, but I do think there may be a difference of opinion as to where that control and those resources should be centered.”

Both say they are hoping to work with the Governor and across the aisle with Democrats to better the education system and the business climate.

Senator Cole hopes the Governor avoids using the Rainy Day Fund as much as possible.

“It’s there for a rainy day, but I don’t want to think that you know, one and two and three and four years of budget shortfalls qualifies a rainy day,” explained Cole, “At some point in time, we have to look in the mirror and say, wait a minute, you know, why are we continuing to have these budget shortfalls, we need to fix something else.”

Both Senator Cole and Delegate Armstead agree that change will need to happen this session for West Virginia’s situation to improve.

The Governor’s State of the State address will begin tonight at 7:00pm on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Specialty Coffee Shops are on the Rise in W.Va.

Brian Burcher and Jennifer Maghan, co-owners of the Black Dog Coffee Company.

Coffee has always been a popular drink. It’s been a big trade item for hundreds of years and continues to be one of the leading beverages in the world. Coffee is so popular that many people don’t even care if it’s cheap or low quality; as long as they have that caffeine fix. But more and more people are searching for that higher quality coffee only found in the specialty shops.

Brian Bircher roasts imported, green coffee beans using a massive roaster built in 1931 called, Plutonius. This seven-and-a-half-foot tall roaster was manufactured by a coffee company called Jabez Burns & Sons in New York City. According to the company’s records, this model was the last one made, and Bircher says, it’s one of four he’s been able to find still in use today.

“I first met Plutonius, we have a long history together, I lived in Leesburg back in 1986 in a little apartment overtop of a store, and in 1986 a business moved in there called the Coffee Bean,” remembered Bircher, “and they owned Plutonius at the time, and they moved it into that building, so I used to go down and watch them roast coffee. I always joked this is probably where I caught the bug, because I used to watch people work on this machine.”

Bircher opened his own coffee roasting shop in 2006 in West Virginia, first out of his garage, and then at a bigger, permanent location in 2011.

But in 2010 the Leesburg Coffee Bean closed and the massive roaster, Plutonius was headed to the Smithsonian. After learning this, Bircher went after the roaster and bought it. In 2012, he began using Plutonius full-time to roast all of the coffee beans in his shop.

Two different types of unroasted, green coffee beans.

Bircher’s specialty coffee shop, the Black Dog Coffee Company, is located in Jefferson County. It’s a popular stop on route 9 between Charles Town and Martinsburg, and its mascot is, you guessed it, a big black dog.

Bircher says what makes his product special is its freshness.

“I thought that I was sort of a coffee snob,” Bircher said, “I was buying higher quality coffee and brewing with spring water through a gold filter, grinding right before brewing, doing all the right things. But what I didn’t realize was so important with coffee is freshness. Coffee, it’s at its peak of flavor within the first 10 to 14 days after you roast it. When I tasted that, it really knocked my socks off.”

Bircher claims most of the coffee beans and pre-ground coffee people buy from grocery stores may have gone stale months before even hitting the shelves. So if freshness is the key to a truly good cup of coffee, why do so many people still buy the inexpensive or low-quality brands we see in stores?

“Just because a lot of people like very high quality doesn’t mean that everybody understands or subscribes to that,” said Brian Floyd, the Executive Director of the Pierpont Culinary Academy at Pierpont Community and Technical College in Fairmont, “I would liken coffee shops to also the proliferation of local farmers markets and local food production. People have a little more of a connection to not only the product but to the proprietor, or to the people who are frequenting that. And you know, coffee, being roasted locally means that somebody’s taking a specific interest in that, and you might get to know that particular somebody versus it just coming from a warehouse somewhere.”

Ellen Allen is the executive director of the Covenant House in Charleston, but she also identifies as a coffee connoisseur.

“I just love the richness, the boldness, and Liz, I started drinking coffee when I was like four or five years old,” Allen said, “it’s not an acquired taste, it’s something I loved immediately.”

Allen says she always chooses specialty and local coffee shops similar to the Black Dog Coffee Company, even if she has to go out of her way to get it.

“Just sipping it and enjoying it,” Allen noted, “understanding even where it comes from. It’s more of an experience than just quenching a thirst. It’s a wonderful experience to enjoy a fresh roasted cup of coffee from freshly roasted beans, and the tastes are so different from growing up as a kid who had Folgers to drinking a cup of coffee that you know came from a family farm perhaps in South America, beans grown from 4,000 feet. It’s different as night and day.”

The Black Dog Coffee Company as well as other specialty shops across the state, continue to see a growing number in the amount of people they serve. While there may always be a coffee section in grocery stores, the trend in specialty shops is on the rise.

Bullying in Schools to Be a Topic of Discussion in 2015 Legislative Session

Bullying and harassment in schools was the topic of discussion during the Joint Standing Committee on Education yesterday.

In the House Chamber, legislators met to discuss bullying in schools. Andy Whisman, the assistant director of research from the West Virginia Department of Education, discussed a study involving the definition of bullying versus the definition of harassment within West Virginia schools.

Whisman says many schools use the terms interchangeably or in some cases, one over the other, which can make dealing with the problem more difficult.

The study found less than 2 percent total discipline referrals last year were for harassment or bullying, and 50% of those referrals were from middle schools. Many of the students who were written up for bullying may have also been written up for things like truancy or disruptiveness.

Incoming House Education Chair, Delegate Amanda Pasdon says the definition of bullying will be discussed further in the coming Legislative session.

“I think our principals are trying to be as on the job as they possibly can,” said Pasdon, “I think we’ll look at maybe bringing those definitions a little closer and kind of understanding, you know, but we allowing…our principals the most latitude to address the problems, the latitude that they need in to address the problems within their schools.”

Last year, over 5000 hours were spent dealing with county schools and parents to resolve bullying issues, Whisman says.

Puppet Protest Commemorates January 9th Chemical Leak

A protest featuring giant puppets was held in front of the Kanawha County Public Library yesterday, commemorating the January 9th chemical spill one year ago.

A local art group called the Vandalia Collective performed the ten minute puppet show in front of the Kanawha County Public Library in Charleston. The protest featured giant handmade puppets re-telling the story of the chemical leak just one year ago.

The various puppets played the characters of Mother Earth, the elements; water, fire, earth, and air, as well as puppets representing Freedom Industries, the coal company, and the chemical, MCHM.

“Puppetry is a very long-standing tradition in America and in Europe,” said Marcus Fioravante, the organizer of the event and puppeteer, “You know, you think about like Punch and Judy shows, and stuff like that. You know, it’s street art, it’s street performance, and that has existed, you know long before there was TV, and long before there was anything else, there was street art. And to me, it is a wonderful breath of life into activism, and I feel like you know, you can’t ignore a big puppet as much as you can ignore a person with a sign.”

Fioravante says the Vandalia Collective will perform the puppet show again next weekend, January 17^th at 2:00pm in front of the Capitol complex in Charleston.